hard rock

REVIEW: April Wine – Animal Grace (1984)

APRIL WINE – Animal Grace (1984 Capitol/EMI)

11 albums in, and April Wine were riding high!  Myles Goodwyn, Brian Greenway, Steve Lang, Gary Moffet, and Jerry Mercer bunkered down in Morin Heights with Mike Stone co-producing, and emerged with some true grace…Animal Grace.  Let’s take a dive into the nine new songs they emerged with in 1984, all but one written by Myles.

 

 

 

 

THIS COULD BE THE RIGHT ONE.

Lead track and lead single.  Great riff, accompanied by melodic keyboards.  Myles’ impassioned vocals make for a great chorus, but the lush backing vocals really sell it.  There are some cringe lyrics though –  “I just wanna please you.  To give you pleasure is a pleasure for me.”  There is a superb double-tracked guitar solo, and nice thuddy 80s drums with that processed sound that went in and out of style.

SONS OF THE PIONEERS

Second single.  It has an interesting, jagged kind of riff.  It’s an an unusual song, a little proggy in vibe.  A little spacey in atmosphere.  More cringey lyrics – “Men not afraid of fear”.  “Sons of the Pioneers” is definitely one of the most interesting songs because it’s a bit different.  There is an absolutely smashing guitar solo.  Melodic and memorable, with a lot of fun hooks and some whammy work.

WITHOUT YOUR LOVE

This killer not-ballad sounds very much like a Journey outtake from 1983’s Frontiers.  Nice keys open the track, but it does sound like a Jon Cain backing a Neal Schon riff.  Not that this is a bad thing.  Even the drum patterns remind of Steve Smith in Journey.  One of the top tracks.  Almost haunting chorus with those keyboards.  Three in a row great guitar solos with memorable hooks, this one being particularly catchy.

ROCK TONITE

Just a good time, party song with a simple sentiment:  “Let’s rock tonight!”  It is the hardest rocking song so far, with basic lyrics about letting go and rocking tonight.  Don’t want no revolution, let’s rock tonight.  It’s feels so good.  Simple message.  First song on the album without a dominant keyboard, though you can still hear them.  This song is simply based on the riff.  The guitar solo this time is less full of “grace”, and more rock and roll energy.

HARD ROCK KID (Tom Lang cover)

Shades of “I Got Your Rock” by Frehley’s Comet.  Nice low-key chugging going on in the verses, with some wah-wah guitar accents.  Sounds very typical of the era with that chorus echo – “Hard rock kid…kid…kid!”

MONEY TALKS

Very sweet saccharine chorus, again with the great backing vocals.  The song itself is a bit janky, but the chorus really knocks it out.  Again, it’s something that Frehley could have done with the Comet, but the backing vocals are more from the oldies era of the early 60s.  Not among the top tracks on an album stacked with them, but the chorus is one of the best on the album.

GIMME THAT THING CALLED LOVE

This atmospheric song features keyboards of two types:  eerie opening keys, and different eerie ones on the chorus!  It’s a really interesting and unique slow-paced song.  Maybe Alice Cooper could have recorded it on one of his 80s blackout albums?  If he has, it would be a classic today.

TOO HOT TO HANDLE

A bit Rainbow, circa “Danger Zone” from Down to Earth.  The keyboards and guitars combine into one nice, smooth opening riff combo.  The chorus features great harmonies once again, but this song isn’t a standout.

LAST TIME I’LL EVER SING THE BLUES

Here we go with the classic blues groove.  Myles’ approach to the blues here is like Kim Mitchell’s, or Van Hagar’s.  The blues is the basis, but it’s a far more fun version of the blues.  The kind of blues to dance to.  The April Wine lush harmonies don’t quite meld with the blues, but maybe that’s what makes it unique.

With Animal Grace, April Wine concocted a strong collection of songs with 80s production values perfectly in synch with what was happening at the time.  A strong album, and still enjoyable for those who miss that sound.

3.5/5 stars

Tim’s Vinyl Confessions Ep. 858: April Wine Deep Dive #11 (Animal Grace)

A few weeks ago, we interviewed Tim Durling on his new book On Record: The April Wine Album Review.  Tim has also been doing Deep Dives on each album with guests from his book.  On the episode for Animal Grace, Tim recruited both myself and Robert Lawson.  It’s a great chat so have a watch – I will be posting my written review of the album tomorrow!

NOW on TVC!

REVIEW: Judas Priest featuring Ozzy Osbourne – “War Pigs (Charity Version)” (2025)

JUDAS PRIEST featuring OZZY OSBOURNE – “War Pigs (Charity Version)” (2025 Sony)

In one of the most amazing collaborations in all of metal history (no hyperbole), Judas Priest teamed up with Black Sabbath’s Ozzy Osbourne for a cover of the Sab’s “War Pigs”.  In another amazing circumstance, the track wasn’t left to the digital download ether.  No; it was even given a CD release, albeit an expensive one when shipping is factored in.  The best part is that a all profits that the label would have received were donated to the Glenn Tipton Parkinson’s Foundation, and Cure Parkinson’s.   Glenn Tipton was diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease in 2008, while Ozzy was diagnosed in 2020.  This would be one of the last things Osbourne would ever do in music.

The cover art (credited to Mark Wilkinson) features the six musicians compiled together from separate photos:  Scott Travis (drums), Ian Hill (bass), Rob Halford (vocals), Ozzy Osbourne (vocals), Glenn Tipton (guitars) and Richie Faulkner (guitars).  Priest’s live guitarist, producer Andy Sneap, handled the studio duties and additional guitar for a seven-man lineup.  Trivia buffs would love to know that both Ozzy and Rob Halford have performed as lead singer of Black Sabbath, so Rob is no stranger to this classic.

The first concern upon pushing play was, “How will Judas Priest, a single guitar band, do an old Black Sabbath tune?”  Would the styles mesh?

Yes they would.  Gloriously so.

From the opening chords, it was clear that Priest know how to meld the two metal worlds.  The guitar sounds singular, monolithic, like Iommi, before one comes careening in as if from “Sinner”, merging the two worlds.  The track generally goes this way:  true to the Sabbath sound, with occasional guitar chemistry that only Judas Priest can conjure.  The solo work is Priest, but vintage Priest, not modern-day shred.  Also noteworthy is drummer Scott Travis, who tries his best to inhabit that Sabbath world, especially on the cymbals.  He does a few double bass flipouts, but keeps them sparing and appropriate to the song.

As for the vocals, Ozzy sounds more at home, but the two trade off just as you imagine old pals would.  Ozzy takes the first line; Rob growls the second.  It’s a cool contrast:  the Prince of Darkness and the Metal God, together at last.  The two pair up on some key chill-inducing lines.

Let us be glad that this pairing happened.  It existed, and we have a CD of it.  Magnificent.  Rest in peace, Ozz.

4.5/5 stars

 

 

REVIEW: Alice Cooper – Welcome To My Nightmare Live at The Forum, Los Angeles 6/17/75 (2025)

ALICE COOPER – Welcome To My Nightmare Live at The Forum, Los Angeles 6/17/75 (2025 Rhino)

For the first time ever, Alice Cooper was on tour without the Alice Cooper Band.  Dennis, Michael, Neal and Glen were set adrift.  Supporting his first solo album, Alice brought with him Dick Wagner and Steve Hunter on guitars, Prakash John on bass, Whitey Glen on drums and Jozef Chirowski on keyboards.  A more dramatic show was presented, including almost the entire new album.  (Only “The Awakening” was never played.)  So focused on the new album was this set that a smaller ratio of old Cooper classics were included.

At this point, only a few years into his career, Alice was already introduced as “legendary”.  He opens with an ominous and “Welcome to My Nightmare” and the crowd begins screaming as soon as he enters.  Alice’s voice is a little off from the start, but the band behind him has every beat covered.  Compared to his previous group, this one truly sounds like a “backing band”, with the star up front and group of pros behind him taking care of business.  That’s not a criticism, just an observation, and the soloing on “Welcome to My Nightmare” prove how great they are.  It’s a very different sounding group from what we heard before.

Not playing the Nightmare album sequentially, “Years Ago” recurs throughout the early songs played.  Old songs framed by “Years Ago”?  Quite clever.  Here, the first verse leads into “No More Mr. Nice Guy”, a very slick version though Alice sounds hoarse.  Even still, he powers through the chorus and falsetto.  If anything, he is less able to deliver some of the melodic hooks accurately.  Back to “Years Ago”, we get the second verse before “Billion Dollar Babies”, which is the strongest performance so far.  The extra keyboards and guitars are more than welcome, beefing up Alice’s stage sound and adding a side of virtuoso musicianship.  On its third appearance, “Years Ago” consists of a creepy keyboard solo, extended from the album version.  This time, the crashing guitars of “I’m Eighteen” shake us from the nightmare.  Though he’s vocally great here, Alice does mess up a line and goes in for a re-do.  That’s what makes a real live performance so beautiful.  The lead soloists weave tapestries of tasty hooks as the song goes on.

The fourth and final “Years Ago” delivers the “I’m a little boy…” verse, and it’s a bit weird sounding live with that “Steeeeven, Steven come home!” part included.  A transitional segue consisting of some of the music from “Black Widow” and a lot of original riffing too leads into “Some Folks”.  This is done instrumentally with the twin lead guitars playing the first chorus, until Alice himself enters the fray.  His vocal is undeniable rough here, except when doing the falsetto.  Fortunately it’s a great song and a brilliant performance by the band.

“Cold Ethyl” rocks a little more straightforward than the last few minutes of music.  Cooper delivers the creepy vibe here; a pretty solid version.    A brief musical interlude sets up the opening chords to “Only Women Bleed”.  The keyboard provide the strings, and the delicate picking of Hunter and Wagner is spot on.  Alice is strong here.  He seems to struggle vocally when he sings in that “rough” raspy evil voice, but not so much when singing clean or falsetto.

There is a fade out before “Devil’s Food” and “The Black Widow”, but this duo is a show highlight.  Prakash John gets a bass solo moment between the two, as does everyone else, as it’s ten minutes of music before “Black Widow” begins.  As to that, Vincent Price’s part plays on tape and you know what is coming next.  “Black Widow” lacks the certain special haunting quality of the album version, but this one makes up for it in drum and guitar power.  This is much more a heavy metal exercise in Arachnology.  The only thing that could follow such a song is “Steven”, which is excellent except for some startling screaming during the song that is a big loud when it comes!  Your neighbors will wonder what the hell is going on at your house!

“Welcome to My Nightmare” is reprised, as the show ends appropriately with a trio of “Escape”, “School’s Out” and “Department of Youth”.  “Escape” is a show highlight, the irresistible riff blasting hard (and we get plenty of too).  Alice is pretty solid here too.  “Department of Youth” is an extended outro with loads of playing by the band (and band intros).  It sounds absolutely huge!

This album is really a treasure for Steve Hunter and Dick Wagner fans.  There is so much guitar, all over the entire show.  Jozef Chirowski is really outstanding on keyboards.  This is a player’s Alice Cooper album.  Vocal issues aside, the only issue I had was with the drum sound.  A little flat and thuddy.  This is a 50 year old recording and we admire it for its authenticity.

3.25/5 stars

REVIEW: Helix – Scrap Metal (2026)

HELIX – Scrap Metal (2026 Perris)

I don’t know what changed, but buying the new Helix album in 2026 was a headache.  For a Canadian fan of a Canadian band, all I wanted to do was hop on my Amazon and buy it with Prime.  Even though it was reportedly charting on Amazon in Canada, I could not find the CD for sale.  Not wanting to deal with the problems I had with Helix 50, I was determined to get it through one of my usual channels.  Our local store didn’t have it.  I saw a reviewer in New York received a review copy, but I discovered that physical review copies were not available to Canadians.   (I was offered the files to review, but we only review physical product, and you’ll see why this is important as we go through the songs.)  In the end, a viewer gifted me a copy that he bought himself, and sent it to me free of charge.  The album is finally available on Amazon, but only about six weeks after I had been trying to buy one.   Why is it so hard for Canadian fans of a Canadian band to just buy the album through their usual channels?  At least it didn’t hinder sales, as the new Helix album Scrap Metal reportedly did very well.

What exactly is the Scrap Metal album anyway?  Think of it as a new mini-album, with bonus tracks!  Eight songs, plus four tracks that were previously released on the albums below:

  • “Jaws of the Tiger” (re-recorded version):  On B-Sides, Best Of 1983-2012, and Never Trust Anyone Over 30.  Original version on Over 60 Minutes With…
  • “Danger Zone”:  On B-Sides, and Best Of 1983-2012.
  • “The Same Room”:  This is the full-length track, not the rarer CD single edit version.  On half-ALIVE and Best Of 1983-2012.
  • “The Pusher” (Steppenwolf cover):  On half-ALIVE.

The other eight songs on the album are either new ones written with Sean Kelly, or unfinished old songs, re-worked for release in 2026.  This is similar to the tactic used on the excellent Old School album.  Some of these tracks feature the late Greg “Fritz” Hinz.  Many were co-written by the beloved and much missed Paul Hackman.

What’s remarkable is how cohesive Scrap Metal sounds.  Regardless of the differing origins of the songs, it plays like an album.  You can hear some stylistic differences over time, particularly with the addition of shredder Sean Kelly on guitar, but it feels like an album.  You can’t necessarily tell that 30 or 40 years have elapsed between some songs.  Let’s run through them track by track.

The lead track “Stuck in the 80’s” has been well received by fans.  Musically it is sharp, riff-oriented mid-tempo rock.  Impeccable backing vocals on the verses, with trademark Helix shouts on the chorus.  The lyrics will resonate with many, though on a personal level I can’t relate.  I enjoyed the music of the 80s, but I would not want my tastes or style to be stuck in that decade.  Helix actually did some of their best stuff in the 70s, 90s, and 2000s!

“Fast & Furious” is far better than any movie with that name.  Fritz Hinz on drums, written with the late Paul Hackman.  This thrashy winner has singer Brian Vollmer singer in a distorted 90s voice, which is an interesting choice that the first three songs all feature to some degree.  The guitar solos have a Judas Priest dual solo vibe, very impressive and very much a welcome sound.  After all, Paul Hackman and Brent Doerner were a formidable guitar duo in the 80s.  That same vibe continues here, in shred town!  Stuck in the 80s indeed?  This kind of guitar work puts Helix in the world-class category.  Absolutely incredible.

“Pretty Poison”, written by Hackman and Vollmer with Sean Kelly coming in to help finish it, is a dirty mid-tempo rocker.  Once again the riffing is intact.  The chorus has excellent atmosphere.  Aaron Murray plays drums on this (and the previous “Stuck in the 80’s”.  The backing vocals on this have the traditional Helix vibe, and the guitar solo is melodic greatness.

The entire classic lineup (plus Sean Kelly) receive writing credits on “Hot Heavy & Wild” which sounds like a Judas Priest title circa Turbo.  Great chorus on this slower, grinding rocker.  The backing vocals stand out once again.

Helix have a penchant for typos and misprints (see:  Helix 50 and Gimme An R!) and I’m not sure what the next song is called.  If you look at the back cover and CD, it’s called “Money (Goes With Everything)”.  If you look at the lyric sheet, it’s just “Money!” with an exclamation point.  This is a Vollmer/Hackman song, resurrected with Sean Kelly shred.  It absolutely has the classic Helix vibe.

“Jaws of the Tiger” falls here, the version from the B-Sides album.  Much like “Fast & Furious”, this has a fast thrash-like tempo.  This helps keep the album cohesive.  The lineup here is in question.  The liner notes credit Brent Doerner on lead guitar.  He was not credited on B-Sides.

Up next, “Coming Back With Bigger Guns”.  Once again the classic Helix sound is present, especially with the backing vocal arrangements.  Pristine and perfect.  This album is exceptionally well recorded.  This is a Hackman/Vollmer co-write, the same team that produced so many Helix classics of the past.

Moving on to “Danger Zone”, this has always been one of the best songs from B-Sides.  It too is a Hackman/Vollmer co-write.  It grooves.  The groove is infectious.

A change of pace is due;  Helix have never “just” been a rock band.  The ballad “Tie Me Down”, recorded in 2019, features Fritz Hinz on drums.  This nice song could easily have been included on an album like Back For Another Taste.  If it had, MuchMusic airplay would have been guaranteed!  Brian is singing great on this one, but the “Ooh, ooh” backing vocals are sublime.

Hackman/Vollmer return for “Closer”, the last of the new songs.  Also recorded in 2019, bassist Daryl Gray sounds great on this, and all the tracks he appears on.  He also plays guitar, along with once-and-present Helix guitarist Kaleb Duck, and current guitarist Chris Julke.  “Closer” has the quality we’ve come to expect from this band’s music.

The album closes with two more tracks from the studio side of half-ALIVE:  single “The Same Room” and Steppenwolf cover “The Pusher”.  It’s amazing how good “The Pusher” sounds, something that may have slipped between the cracks before.  Interestingly, new Helix drummer Jamie Constant is credited on “The Same Room” .  He played on this Helix track three decades ago.

Frustratingly though, even though this album includes songs written and performed with Sean Kelly, other newer tracks like “Not My Circus, Not My Clowns” and “Brother From A Different Mother” remain physically unavailable.  This would have been the perfect CD to release them on, even as bonus tracks.

Scrap Metal is a solid Helix “mini-album with bonus tracks”.  I would have chosen different material from albums past, but as an album this plays consistently well.

4/5 stars

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

RE-REVIEW: Eric Carr – Unfinished Business (2011/2025 RSD)

The KISS RE-REVIEW SERIES Part 42 Redux:  Eric Carr solo #2 (Reissued).

ERIC CARR – Unfinished Business (Originally 2011, 2025 Culture Factory)

Beloved drummer Eric Carr has two posthumous “solo albums”:  Rockology and Unfinished Business.  Both contain previously unreleased songs written and performed by Carr, some of which are polished up and finished properly, some of which are basic demos.  2000’s Rockology compilation contained a treasure trove of unheard goodies for the fans, but since there is always more to sell, another batch of tracks were unearthed to mark the 20th anniversary of Eric’s passing.  This time they called it Unfinished Business, and this time you can tell that there wasn’t much left in the vaults to release.   Yet, somehow, the Carr estate found even more tracks to release.  In 2023 a “remastered” version of Rockology was released for Record Store Day.  It included five more tracks, including very harsh demos from 1967, and 1974.  It also included a few alternate versions of previously released tracks, of limited value.  Then in 2025, and hopefully for the last time, five more tracks were coughed up on a similar reissue of Unfinished Business.  It is now an hour and 14 minutes long, so buckle up for a bumpy ride.

Getting the cosmestics out of the way first, Culture Factory do a fantastic job with these reissues.  The CDs are designed to look like vinyl.  Rockology was reissued on a black CD, and Unfinished Business is a lovely blue.  While the last album was designed to resemble the Kiss solo albums, this one looks like Creatures of the Night.  The style and obi strips for these reissues mean they also match each other.  Inside is a two-page booklet with very small print, and a sleeve for the CD, featuring two Kiss-era photos of Eric:  One from Creatures and one from Animalize.

There are a few Eric interviews and audio clips included, and the album opens appropriately with Eric introducing himself.  The first song is an updated version of “Just Can’t Wait” from Rockology.  Like a classic early 80s Bon Jovi song, it had slick hooks and hit potential.  This fine demo was just crying out for a lead vocal to finish it off.  This was completed by Ted Poley of Danger Danger.  Though the backing track lacks the fidelity of a proper Kiss recording, the song has taken shape as the shoulda-coulda-been hit that it is.  Eric would have been proud and very happy to hear it as a finished song, even though it sounds like you’re playing an old cassette.

The unfinished “Troubles Inside You” is a demo with regular Kiss collaborator and Beatlemania member Mitch Weissman.  It was recorded at Gene Simmons’ house, but the old cassette must have deteriorated pretty badly.  The music is barely audible, though hints of a good song shine through.  It clearly needed work, particularly on the chorus.  Weissman is on lead vocals, and Eric programmed the drum machine.  It sounds like a Creatures outtake, but this demo is truly chore to listen to.

There are a couple Kiss songs here for the diehard fans.  “No One’s Messin’ With You” is accompanied by an audio clip of Eric explaining that he insisted on singing a song this time.  Yes, that means this is yet another demo of what would become “Little Caesar” from Hot in the Shade (Another called “Ain’t That Peculiar” was released on the 2001 Kiss Box Set.)  This is an almost completely different set of lyrics, although it does have the “Hey Little Caesar” chorus.  In chronological terms, this version probably falls between the other two, with lyrics still a work in progress and a different verse melody.

Disappointingly, some songs here are not recorded by Eric Carr.  “Carr Jam 1991” and “All Hell’s Breakin’ Loose” are not demos.  They are remakes by Zo2 drummer Joey Cassata as a tribute.  Sonically both sound great, but why do we need these?  For “Carr Jam”, we already have a Kiss version which has Eric Carr on drums and Bruce Kulick on guitar.  This one has a guitarist named Benny Doro playing all the electric instruments.  Giving Cassata credit, he plays homage to the Fox’s drum hooks and style very admirably.  “All Hell’s Breakin’ Loose” with Paulie Z on vocals, belongs on a tribute album.  Not an album billed as an Eric Carr CD.

“Carr Jam” is followed by an interview about Eric’s audition, but it is followed by one of the very worst tracks in terms of quality.  This is “Shandi”, from Eric’s Kiss audition tape, with brand new acoustic backing music.  Unfortunately, Eric’s shaky voice (or a warbly tape) makes this totally unlistenable.  We have to assume it’s the tape, because nobody would dream of sending this to Kiss as an audition.

Two more Kiss outtakes include the legendary “Dial L For Love” and “Elephant Man”.  These were written for Crazy Nights and Revenge, respectively.  Neither were finished by Carr.  “Dial L For Love” has the bones of a good song with a unique 80s riff, including harmonics.  Eric only managed to finish the lyrics for “Elephant Man”, but here it is given music and life by a group of musicians including the late A.J. Pero of Twisted Sister, and ex-Europe guitarist Kee Marcello.  Singer Bob Gilmartin did a great job of it, turning “Elephant Man” into a cross between ballad and rocker, and something Kiss actually could have done on Revenge. “Elephant Man” does not feature Eric, only the lyrics he wrote, but it actually turned out pretty good.  We’ll allow this one, even though Eric isn’t on it, because there was no better way for us to hear his lyrics.

Eric’s Kiss bandmate, Mark St. John, found the cassette tape for “Midnight Stranger”.  It is another unfinished riff.  Mark was slated to overdub brand new solos for this instrumental, but he too passed before he could finish.  This is the original cassette demo.  The riff sounds like a brother to “Carr Jam”.  They are definitely related.  One has to assume that Eric gave this tape to Mark at some time during the making of Animalize.  Obviously, neither Mark nor Eric would be allowed to write on the album, so this is an interesting oddity.

Rockology featured a good Eric original called “Eyes of Love”, which Bruce Kulick finished by adding his guitar.  This version has Eric’s lead vocals backed by a new recording by Benny Doro and drummer John Humphrey.  Obviously, the Kulick version is the go-to.  This version doesn’t add much in terms of value to the fan.  It’s an artificially created “new” version, to flesh out an already dubious CD release.

“Through the Years” features some Eric Carr drum solos edited together, and dedicated to Bill Aucoin (who also features in an audio clip).  The drum solos themselves will sound familiar, as many ended up in “Carr Jam” and Kiss concerts live.

Finally there is a 1967 recording by Eric’s first band The Cellarmen, with Eric on lead vocals.  At the time of the original release for Unfinished Business, this was considered something really rare and special, but it turns out they had more that they were hanging on to.  Now, we get two more Cellarmen tracks:  1967’s Beatles-y “I Cry At Night” and 1968’s “I Found You (One I Adore)”.  These tracks sound pretty decent considering their age.  An official release like this is certainly welcome for these old tapes.  The late 1960s are alive again when you push play.

Several of the remaining bonus tracks are quite long.  Into the 1970s, we have a lengthy jam of “Down By The River”, performed by Salt and Pepper, recorded in 1974.  According to the CD, that is Eric on lead vocals and drums.  It sounds like when Deep Purple Mk I used to do slow psychedelic cover versions, complete with slamming drums.  Not a great cover, but certainly of interest to Eric fans.

“Get Down” is an overlong disco demo by Creation, dating to 1974.  This one is complete with a horn section, sax solos, and organ.  The surviving tape quality limits its listenability.  It’s interesting not only to hear Eric play the disco beats (quite awesomely), but also to hear him sing this soulful style.

Rewinding to 1972, Salt and Pepper also covered “Black Magic Woman”, this time keeping it to about five minutes.  Eric’s drumming on this is absolutely thunderous.  Though it is hard to shake the Deep Purple Mk I vibes, comparing Eric to Ian Paice on this is not out of the question.

The final track, a cover of “Listen to the Music”, dates back to 1977 and is recorded by Mother Nature Father Time.  This is a nice pop rock song with twangy country guitars.  Eric’s vocals are present but a bit muffled, making it hard to fully enjoy the tracks.  It is a pretty impressive version of the song, with ample accompaniment.

Never mind that the five bonus tracks from Rockology and the five from Unfinished Business could have been released as a single standalone disc, a third Eric Carr album perhaps.  That’s what should have been been done, for the fans who are tired of endless reissues.  Let us hope that more tracks don’t mysteriously turn up on a third go-round of reissues.

2/5 stars

 

 

REVIEW: Helix – 50: The Best Of (2025 LP + CD set)

HELIX – 50: The Best Of (2025 Crown X CD/LP)

In 2024, Helix celebrated their 50th anniversary as a band.  In 2025, they marked it with a new compilation album, at least their 11th to date.  Much like the legendary Rush, they went with a simple title for this milestone:  Helix 50.

This was a frustrating set to finally buy.  All I wanted was the CD, which has three extra tracks on top of what the vinyl has.  I don’t know if the CD was ever available separately but I never found one.  Then I waited and waited for the CD/LP combo set to show up at one of my preferred retailers and it never did.  I decided to order it from the Helix store with some Christmas money, and it took a month to arrive.  Weirdly, it was “in stock” when I ordered it, but when I emailed to ask about my order after almost a month, I was told they were awaiting more signed stock.  Then, it arrived three days later at my house.  Brian Vollmer’s autograph is in silver pen on top.  (Gold pen would have looked amazing!)

This CD/LP combo of Helix 50 has a gorgeous looking record inside, but is bare-bones packaging-wise.  The set came with a Helix guitar pick and a turntable mat, but lacks the booklet and liner notes that a 50th anniversary compilation deserves.  (I’m always available to write guest liner notes, boys!)  It comes housed in a gatefold sleeve, with the CD tucked inside the front cover.  There are roughly 45 monochromatic photos in the inner sleeve, celebrating the classic era of the band.  The album itself consists of 11 tracks, plus three bonus from the 1993 It’s A Business Doing Pleasure album.  (The first of several mistakes on the liner notes:  the songs are credited to ‘It’s A Pleasure Doing Business (1993)’, but that re-issued title actually came out in 2024, while the original It’s A Business Doing Pleasure was 1993.)  Of the songs, here is how they break down:

  • Seven are re-recordings of classic hits from the EMI years 1983-1987.  Two of these are unplugged re-recordings.  Only “Rock You” is new.
  • One track is from 1990’s Back For Another Taste unaltered.
  • Another track is a single mix from Back For Another Taste, previously released on other compilations.
  • One song is from 2009’s Vagabond Bones, unaltered.
  • Four are from 1993’s It’s A Business Doing Pleasure.
  • One is a “Radio Remix” of 2025’s download-only single “Stand Up”.  (At least we think so – on the back cover it says “Radio Remix”, but in a misprint, on the label it simply says “Remastered”, not “Remix”.)

In some more mis-prints, on the back cover “Heavy Metal Love”, “Deep Cuts the Knife”, “Wild in the Streets” “Make Me Do Anything You Want”, “Dream On” and “The Kids Are All Shakin'” are listed as “2025” versions, but these appear to be the previously released 2006, 2010 and 2011 recordings.  Only “Rock You” appears to be a new 2025 version.  The other versions were only “remastered” in 2025.  Some of the remasters leave something to be desired.  “Good to the Last Drop” sounds blunted compared to other offerings of it.

According to the internet, “Rock You” includes three special guests: Phil X (Bon Jovi) on guitar, Todd Kerns (Slash) on guitar and Brent Fitz (Slash) on drums.  In a tragic omission, none of this information is included in the Helix 50 package.  The only way you’d know is by Googling it.

The acoustic songs have been released before.  Of these re-recordings, it is the power ballad “Deep Cuts The Knife” that packs the most punch.  They went to great effort to replicate the keyboards and backing vocals of the original.  The songs also stay faithful to the original Doerner/Hackman solos.  This acoustic version of “(Make You Do) Anything You Want” is breezy and lighter, and Brian Vollmer absolutely nails everything about the vocals.  It’s a different, slightly softer take on the old classic.  It must also be pointed out that bassist Daryl Gray is an articulate musician with chops, who always finds the right notes.  An under-appreciated bassist.

The remix of “Stand Up” is the first physical release of this standalone download-only single.  The new mix sounds muffled compared to the 2024 version, which is still unreleased on CD or vinyl.  It’s a good song with blazing guitars and a melodic chorus.

Standouts include “The Animal Inside” from Vagabond Bones, which snarls out of the gates.  The acoustic numbers offer subtlety, but there are too many soft moments that don’t really reflect the full gestault of 50 years of Helix.

There are no songs representing the legendary first two albums (Breaking Loose and White Lace & Black Leather) which really takes the bite out of the Helix 50 concept.  “Billy Oxygen” would have been more than welcome.  Only two songs come from the last 30 years of the band, a period in which Helix released plenty of great unrepresented albums and singles.  Notably missing from this period:  Standalone download singles “Brother From A Different Mother” and “Not My Circus, Not My Clowns” which should have been included as bonus tracks.  As of 2025, there is no physical release with those two songs.  Helix 50 easily could have been a double!

One final mis-print:  “The Kids Are All Shakin’ Unplugged (2025 Unplugged)”.  Not only is it actually the 2010 version, but “Unplugged” is printed twice.  Not quite a misprint, but it is weird that guest players Lee Aaron and Kim Mitchell are not credited on the back cover.  (A booklet with credits would fix this issue.)

The classy cover art, with the Helix 50 logo and sparks, is perfect to represent this golden anniversary.  The track listing offers less value to the fans who have been here for 50 years.  The band is limited by what versions of what songs they have access to, and vinyl is limited by run time, but the CD has room for at least five more songs.  Had the full length of the disc been utilized, a more well-rounded representation of the last 50 years of Helix could have been realized.  Ultimately, Helix 50 will please most casual fans who don’t have any Helix on vinyl (which is stunningly gorgeous in black and gold), but leaves a taste of disappointment for those of us who have been here the whole time.

3/5 stars

REVIEW/VIDEO: Rick Hughes – Redemption (Japanese CD) with Dan @OfftheCharts

Please join Dan from OfftheCharts and I for this review and unboxing!

RICK HUGHES – Redemption (2025 Deko/Rubicon Japanese import)

Rick Hughes of Sword fame is back with some of his most personal music to date.  In short:  it rocks!

Highlights:

  • “Dead End Road”
  • “The Real Me”
  • “Will of the Gun”
  • “Someday”

The Who cover “The Real Me” features Ozzy’s Speak of the Devil band!  Rudy Sarzo (Quiet Riot, Whitesnake), Tommy Aldridge (Whitesnake) and Brad Gillis (Night Ranger).  This smashing version destroys other cover versions you know.  Meanwhile, “Someday” is not really a cover of an Aldo Nova song.  It is a Rick song he has reclaimed as his own.

There are more guests such as Lee Aaron and Robby Krieger (the Doors), and not one weak song in the batch of rockers, ballads, and soulful swingers.

Check out the video below, where Rick explains the origins of “Someday” while we take a good look at the Japanese CD and compare to the domestic vinyl.

4/5 stars

RE-REVIEW: Poison – Open Up and Say… Ahh! (1988, 2018 180 gram coloured vinyl reissue)

Our review of the deluxe CD edition of this album can be found here.

POISON – Open Up and Say… Ahh! (1988, 2018 Capitol 180 gram coloured vinyl reissue)

There are some bands I find myself constantly having to defend my enjoyment of.  Poison is definitely up there in the top five, if not #1.   They’re not incredible musicians (Richie Kotzen and Blues Saraceno notwithstanding).  They put out some junk.  But they also did at least three legitimately great hard rock albums, and Open Up and Say… Ahh! is one of them.  Poison had good producers behind their best albums.  Bruce Fairbairn, Richie Zito, and in this case, Tom Werman, who had plenty of experience getting great records out of mediocre musicians (and great ones too).

This 180 gram vinyl reissue, on red vinyl and spinning at 45 rpm, still sounds great.  This was a good sounding album 1988 and this record spins well.  The drum sound is a little synthetic sounding, but that was a common issue in the 80s.  Rikki Rocket got a better snare sound later on in the 1990s.  CC’s guitar is like an over-the-top Ace Frehley.  Harsh with more of that 80s transistor amp sound, but actually not that bad on this album.  Frehley was probably the model.  Werman got a solid performance out of Bret Michaels, and layers the choruses with ample backing vocals, but just enough for sweetener.

The album was loaded with mostly good songs.  Opening with the terrific riffing of “Love on the Rocks”, Poison started with a rocker, as if to prove a point.   “She goes down slow, like a shot ‘o gin…” and 14 year old me had no idea what Bret was really signing about, so you have to give the lyricist credit for that.  “You wanna taste my love, why don’t ya swallow this.”  Well, maybe I did get the picture after all.  Swallow This was the original album title, but cooler heads prevailed.  It was later used as the title for Poison’s premature double-live.

Smash hit and first single “Nothin’ But A Good Time” is in the second position, exactly where it belongs, hitting it home immediately.  The riff always struck me as something inspired by Kiss (“Deuce), but later on Kiss ripped off this song for one of their own (“Never Enough”).  Although it’s bubblegum hard rock fun, there’s nothing wimpy about “Nothin’ But A Good Time”.  “Back to the Rocking Horse” is a good track, a sort of Poison deep cut, as is the harmonica-laden “Good Love”.  The first side ends with the darker “Tearin’ Down the Walls”.  Songs like this show that Poison were more than the sum of the public’s perception.  CC’s guitar solos speak.  The lyrics may be shallow (coming home from the road for a good romp in bed), but there’s something about the music that is more than meets the ear.

Opening side two, “Look But You Can’t Touch” has a completely different vibe.  A vicious CC riff kicks it off.  We’ll ignore Bret’s ill-advised lyrics about plying an unwilling young woman with drink.  Not cool, Bret!  (I didn’t think so back in 1988 and I don’t think so now, so don’t come at me.)   Great song otherwise, thanks to CC’s killer riff.  As if to make up for the previous song, Poison got a bit serious on “Fallen Angel”.  In the music video, a predatory manager played by actor Anthony James takes advantage of young girls heading to Hollywood looking for stardom.  It’s a re-enactment of the lyrics:  “She stepped off the bus out into the city streets, just a small town girl with her whole life packed in a suitcase by her feet.”  Things gradually go bad, and Bret’s words serve as a warning.  The song itself remains in the top Poison tracks of all time.  It has it all:  great riff, terrific chorus, strong verses, and another in a series of memorable CC guitar solos.  He didn’t break new ground as a lead soloist, but like many that receive far more praise than he does, CD composes his solos.  The one in “Fallen Angel” is like a mini-song inside a song.

“Every Rose Has Its Thorn” was respected in its time for being a bit further out in the acoustic direction than many bands were comfortable.  “Too country!” said some.  Bret was right on the money with this song, as time has shown.  It didn’t take long (only three years) to become something of a pop culture phenomenon, being quoted in the second Bill & Ted film.  You’ve heard it a million times, but it still stands as a good, well written and well performed ballad, with another great little CC solo.

The cover of “Your Mama Don’t Dance” was cute, and we’ve all heard it a million times now.  It’s fun but at this point we don’t need to discuss it.  We close on “Bad to be Good”, which actually focuses on Bobby Dall’s bass line as the main backbone of the song.  Not to be ignored, listen to CC’s opening guitar licks.  This is a fine song, but not an album cornerstone.  Just a way to take the album out on a dark, sassy note.

One thing we always appreciated about Open Up And Say… Ahh! back in the 80s was that it came with ample photos on the lyric sheet.  Though the cover was always garish and ugly, Poison gave you value when you bought their records.

4/5 stars

 

 

Tim’s Vinyl Confessions Ep. 756: Thin Lizzy (CDs)

It has been 40 years since we lost Phil Lynott.  To mark the occasion, Tim Durling recruited myself and John the Music Nut to meticulously document our Thin Lizzy CD collections on video, once and for all.  While I clearly had the biggest collection (and size does indeed matter), I still need three box sets to “complete” my Lizzy CD collection.

Please join Tim, John and myself as we go through every album one by one, and discuss the history of Thin Lizzy from the beginning right to the John Sykes and Ricky Warwick eras of the band.  We have physical CDs to marks several post-Lynott lineups, and loads of compilations and box sets too.  A truly comprehensive episode, and probably the best single-episode overview on the Lizzy discography that you’ll find on YouTube.  Enjoy!